pirate
verb
pirated; pirating
1
: to commit piracy on
2
: to take or appropriate by piracy: such as
a
: to reproduce without authorization especially in infringement of copyright
b
: to lure away from another employer by offers of betterment
: to commit or practice piracy
Examples of pirate in a Sentence
He was accused of pirating their invention.
using pirated software that was subject to copyright
Recent Examples on the Web
Cox won’t help defendants beat allegations of direct copyright infringement, those claims in which the company itself is accused of pirating.
—
ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
The version of the film that was ultimately pirated across the internet was a high quality file, potentially indicating a breach of systems maintained by those that worked on the movie.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
For lunch, The Pirate House delivers pirate lore alongside a casual buffet of Southern staples.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
For lunch, head to The Pirate House where pirate lore and a casual buffet of Southern staples keep little ones entertained.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pirate
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ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
The version of the film that was ultimately pirated across the internet was a high quality file, potentially indicating a breach of systems maintained by those that worked on the movie.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
For lunch, The Pirate House delivers pirate lore alongside a casual buffet of Southern staples.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
For lunch, head to The Pirate House where pirate lore and a casual buffet of Southern staples keep little ones entertained.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pirate
Cite this Entry
“Pirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pirate. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pirate
2 of 2 verb
pirated; pirating
: to take by piracy
pirate an invention
Legal Definition
pirate
1 of 2 noun
pi·rate
ˈpī-rət 
: a person who commits piracy
pirate
2 of 2 verb
pirated; pirating
: to take or appropriate by piracy
especially
: to copy, distribute, or use without authorization especially in infringement of copyright
the pirated software
pirating cable signals
: to commit piracy compare bootleg
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